Fire-escape.



H. L. BARTLEY.

. FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. i911.

1,265,165. Patented May7,1918.

Hen 13/ L .Ba 1715 H; L. BARTLEY.

FIRE ESCAPE. APPLICATION FILED APR- 25. I911.

1,265,165. Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 8 7 k d 1 ED 13 I 14% W MW HENRY L. BARTLEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1917. Serial No. 164,326.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. BARTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved fire escape. One object of my invention is to provide a fire escape which, when not in use, can be conveniently stored in a space adjacent a window.

Another object is to so construct my invention that it canbe quickly and easily moved into an operative position when the window is opened.

A further object is to make my improved fire escape so that it will be durable and of simple construction.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I

attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary section through the window of a building having my improved fire escape attached thereto and shown ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a view of similar nature to Fig. 1 showing my improved fire escape when in a stored position. v

t Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section through one end of a pivoted frame which forms a part of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face View drawn on an enlarged scale showing the method of attaching the pivoted frame.

Fig. 6 is a section on th line G6 of Fig. 5. i

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the wall of a building having a'window. 2 therein and a windowsill 3. 4 represents a floor of the building. The wall 1 is cut out adjacent the inner edge of the sill 3 to provide a chamber 5.

The chamber 5 is closed by a cover 6 which is L-shape in cross section and hinged at 7 to a board 8 secured to the inner surface of the wall 1. The end 9 of the cover 6 is designed to rest within a recess 10 formed on the inner top portion of the sill 3 so that the cover when in the position shown in Fig. 12), forms a complete closure for said chamer a.

Plates l1 and 12 are secured to the oppositely disposed walls'l3 and 14 of the window 2, the outer surfaces of said plates being flush with the outer surfaces of the walls 13 and 14. Each of the plates 11 and 12 is slotted vertically as shown at 15, and

.the walls 13 and 14 are recessed at 16 directly back of the slots 15, the width of said recesses being greater than the width of the slot to provide sliding room for heads 17 on rods 18, which rods are slidable within the opposite tubular end portions 19 of a frame 20.

The end portions are slotted as illustrated at 21 in Fig. 4, and pins 22 on the rods 18 are designed to rid within said slots 21 for a purpose hereinafter described. However, by this construction it will be noted that the frame 20 is pivotally supported by the plates Patented May '7, 1918.

11 and 12 and is free to be raised and lowered to the extent of the slots 15 in said plates.

A flexible tube 23, tapering from the top to the bottom as shown in Fig. 1, has a funnel head 24, the upper edges of which are secured around the frame 20 so that the inner portion of the tube 23 is exposed to the interior of the funnel head so that a person or object entering the funnel head 24, can slide downwardly through the tube 23.

T he plates 11 and 12 are located in such position that the inner portion of the frame 20 will rest upon the ledge 25 of said sill t 3 when the rods 18 have been raised within the slots 15 in the plates 11 and 12, thus supporting the tube 23 in the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. I preferably provide elastic inserts26 in the tube 23, said inserts extending longitudinally from the top of the tube toward the bottom.

Adjacent the bottom of the tube 23, I provide elastic bands 27 which co-act with the inserts 26 to retard the fall of a person through the tube. The tube 23 can be of any desired length according to the height of the window from which it is suspended. so that persons in case of fire can, by entering the funnel head 24:, slide safely down through the tube to the ground.

The tube 23 can be folded preferably by folding the same as illustrated in Fig. 2 and can be placed within the chamber 5 by turning the rods 18 on their pivots and permitting them to drop downwardly in the slot 15. The cover 6 can then be turned upwardly on its hinge 7 to inclose the folded tube within the chamber 5.

It will be further noted that by making the cover 6 L-shape in cross section, it provides a step (see Figs. 1 and 3) to permit a person to easily pass through the window to the funnel head 24. I

By having the rods 18 slide within the end portions 19 of the frame 20, the frame 20 will telescope on the rods 18 and thus can be stored in a comparatively small space.

To move the tube 23 and frame 20 into the operative position shown in Fig. 1 from the stored position shown in Fig. 2, it is only necessary to open the cover 6 and to raise the frame 20 sufficiently to permit access to the folded tube 23. This tube can be thrown out of the window and the weight of said tube will move the frame and the rods 18 into the position shown in Fig. 1, thus requiring but comparatively little time to place my invention in an operative position. lVhile I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will. be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a window, of means providing slots adjacent the opposite side walls of the window, means providing a chamber below the window ledge, rods pivotally movable within said slots, a frame supported by said rods, and a tube connected to said frame, said ledge being adapted to support said frame, said tube, frame, and rods being adaptedto fold within said chamber, and a cover for closing said chamber, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a window, of a sillfor the window having an upper ledge, a chamber within the wall and extending below the level of said ledge, slotted plates secured to oppositely disposed side walls of the window, rods having portions extending through said slots and heads for engagement with the inner surfaces of said plates, said slots extending above and below the level of said ledge, a frame on said rods, and a tube secured to said frame, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a window, of a. sill for the window having an upper ledge, a chamber within the wall and extending below the level of said ledge, slotted plates secured to oppositely disposed side walls of the window, rods having portions extending through said slots and heads for engagement with the inner surfaces of said plates, said slots extending above and below the level of said ledge, a frame slidable longitudinally on said rods, and a tube secured to said frame, substantially as described.

4E. The combination with a window, of a sill for the window having an upper ledge, a chamber within the wall and extending be low the level of said ledge, slotted plates secared to oppositely disposed side walls of the window, rods having portions extending through said slots and heads for engagement with the inner surfaces of said plates, said slots extending above and below the level of said ledge, a frame slidable longitudinally on said rods, a tube secured to said frame, and a. cover for said chamber, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a window, of a sill for the window having an upper ledge, a chamber within the wall and extending below the level of said ledge, slotted planes secured to oppositely disposed side walls of the window, rods having portions extending through, said slots and heads for engagement with the inner surfaces of said plates, said slots extending above and below the level of said ledge, a frame slidable longitudinally on said rods, a tube secured to said frame, and a pivotally supported cover for the chamber, said cover being L-shaped in cross section and designed when in an open position to form a step, substantially as described. p

6. In a fire escape, a supportingstructure, a tube suspended from the supporting structure, and elastic inserts extending longitudinally of the tube, substantially as described.

7. In a fire escape, a supporting structure, a tube suspended from the supporting structure, elastic inserts extending longitudinally of the tube, and elastic bands adjacent the lower portion of the tube and co-active with said inserts to retard the movement of aperson dropping through said tube, substantially is described.

8. The combination with a window, of slotted plates secured adjacent oppositely disposed side walls of the window, rods having portions extending through said slots and heads for engagement with the inner surfaces of said plates, said slots extending in an upright direction and being so located while engaging the upper ends of the slots 1,2o5,1oo a and may be turned in the slots and down bename to this specification in the presence of low the sill, a frame slidable longitudinally two subscribing witnesses. I

on said rods, means for limiting the slidable movement of said frame, and suspension HENRY HARTLEY means secured to said frame, substantially Witnesses:

as described. MARY A. INGLAR, In testimony whereofI have signed my CHAS. E. Poms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. 0.- 

